Salary scandal grows

[NewsWhore]

Both Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez and the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) have called for the magistrates of the Chamber of Accounts to renounce the huge salary increase they recently awarded themselves. The magistrates voted for a RD$260,088 monthly increase, and when the news came out it became a cause celebre. The Cardinal said, "It appears to me to be a disproportionate salary. I think that with ridiculous salaries in many, many areas, it is not possible for us to go around exhibiting salaries at these levels that cannot be justified under any circumstance." Magistrates Juan Lora and Andres Terrero were not in agreement with the salary increase and have sent a letter expressing their rejection to the accounting office's secretary. FINJUS executive vice-president, Servio Tulio Castanos also questioned the move, saying it was in direct violation of the government's announced austerity policy. Several months ago, the Supreme Court asked the Chamber of Accounts to emit an opinion on a salary "extra" that was being criticized by judge Aura Celeste Fernandez. The Chamber said that it was not the competent organization to issue such an opinion. According to El Caribe, the magistrates had been in office for less than one month before they awarded themselves this juicy salary increase. The salary scandal also spilled over to the magistrates' own security. El Caribe reports that the Chamber is spending RD$535,000 per month on security for the nine magistrates. They also have a RD$385,000 monthly per diem allowance for drivers and assistants. Chief magistrate Andres Terrero said that these huge payments "incur extraordinary expenses for the Chamber of Accounts and are beyond what is reasonable."

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